The White Rabbit
by JustAFerret
Summary: After stopping another dust store robbery, Ruby and her team are now being hunted by a White Fang extremist and his fanatical splinter group. Not content with just Team RWBY, he then targets Team JNPR and then all of Beacon Academy. Ruby must to gather everyone she can in order to stop him before the worst can happen.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Waltz towards Disaster

"You and I both know you can't get rid of me."

The blade of Crescent Rose came down in a downward arc, colliding with Myrtenaster steel. Ruby planted her feet into the ground, the razor sharp edge of her scythe making a grating screech against Weiss' sword.

"You're going to have to grow up sooner or later, Ms. Rose. Go on, be a big girl and strike me down. After everything I did, it's what I deserve, right?!" said the disturbingly familiar face in front of her. Ruby glared at her opponent through her hazy vision, from her white hair to the scar running down her left eye. Labored breaths were her only response to the taunting. The insufferable heat coming from the motionless fires sapped away any energy she tried to conserve. Even the clouds through the burning airship's windows were somehow frozen in time. Weiss' blade retreated back and swiped at her, tearing her red cloak. Ruby launched herself back into the fight, twirling Crescent Rose around her as if it was weightless.

Her rival, however, continued to fight without trouble. Instead of dodging Ruby's attacks, she charged towards them. Both of their weapons danced around them, emitting a shower of sparks whenever their blades connected. Weiss swiped high while Ruby's scythe flew upwards. Both weapons landed in a deadlock, their wielders staring each other down.

"Why bother being a huntress in the first place? Because of some fairy-tale sense of purpose? Do you think it'll justify all your sob stories if there's a happily-ever-after at the end?" Weiss sneered. Ruby scowled, shaking her head.

"You won't face the truth, hm? Can't admit that you're in over your head? I remember when you were so full of yourself a few days ago. What happened to spunk, huh? Hahahaha!" Weiss kicked Ruby away and took on a defensive stance, her sickening tone turning harsh, "It's sinking in, isn't it? You're finally beginning to realize that no amount of hero work will change anything. Nobody likes the white knight, Ms. Rose. There's a reason they end up getting shot and thrown in a ditch."

Ruby's scythe fired off a round, rocketing her towards Weiss and kicking her square in the gut. Weiss rolled to her feet unharmed and laughed, pointing her sword towards Ruby, "Hit a nerve, did I? Oh it's not like you to get upset."

Weiss held up a finger against her lips. Her expression looked sorry, but cruelty in her eyes was obvious, "I shouldn't speak ill of the dead but hey, it's not like they'll hear it, right?"

Ruby's scythe folded in on itself. A torrent of gunfire hailed through the air at blistering speeds. Weiss's grin grew from ear to ear. A black glyph materialized in front of her, forcing every bullet to a dead stop.

"Don't get so worked up. It's not the worst thing I've ever done. In fact, in just a couple of minutes Beacon is going to be a smoldering graveyard and you and I will be a distant memory," Weiss laughed. A sudden frown flickered on her face, followed by her crossing her arms, "Really, I'm just as infuriated as you. I wanted to go out with more…exposure. I wanted to be in the midst of everything going on down there; mine against yours, winner takes all. But if it's any comfort I suppose no one's going to forget us after this."

Ruby shook her head, her teeth grating with every word, _It's not Weiss. It's not Weiss. It's just another one of his tricks. It's just that powder again._

It had to be that. The fires around them began to sway a little more. She could feel the engines trying to keep the airship afloat. Ruby took a deep breath. Everything was falling into place. The fire around them suddenly whipped about like a rabid animal, the clouds were moving at an uncomfortable speed, and smoke was still pouring out of the hole in the ship's hull where Yang's bike crashed through.

"Finally seeing reality, Ms. Rose?"

Ruby focused back on Weiss. Her teammate still stood before her, Myrtenaster raised, but she could make out the imposter's features overtaking Weiss' own. The unsettling smirk and sickly yellow eyes were proof enough to the game he was playing.

"Where's Weiss?" Ruby demanded. The other Weiss shrugged with a playful smile.

"Beats me. Maybe she's down in the engine room or even better, she's not here at all! Wouldn't you feel silly? All the trouble you went through to get up here and she's sipping tea, or whatever it is kids drink nowadays, back in Beacon. Say, wouldn't that make YOU responsible for her demise? You did buy yourself a one-way ticket up here after all!" the other Weiss said. She looked out the window that stretched along the bridge and sighed, "Clock's ticking, Ms. Rose. It was fun while it lasted."

Ruby blinked a few times. The Weiss standing in front of her flickered in and out of existence. The powder was wearing off.

In Weiss's place stood him again. His white hair and floppy bunny ears were matted with ash. The red velvet blazer and tie he wore were torn, revealing the black formal shirt he wore underneath. Reaching into the pocket of his black slacks, he pulled out a golden pocket watch, its face shattered and arms mangled. He sheathed Weiss' sword onto his belt and crossed an arm over his chest; the other dangling the broken watch. His yellow eyes regarded her with a fond expression and the same disturbing smirk ran across his face, "Here lies Ruby Rose and Lepus Wolken. Enemies, fools, and above all, allies."

…

Ruby came bouncing out of a convenience store, a gleeful smile written on her face as she walked out with her hard-earned prize. The rest of her team followed out in single file with their goods in hand. Ruby skidded to a stop and flipped open the small plastic container, basking in the sweet aroma of her favorite snack: strawberries.

"Ohaha. Best trip to the store ever," Ruby exclaimed, digging into the box with childlike enthusiasm. Yang looked up from the magazine she bought and rolled her eyes with a friendly grin.

"You say that every time you get strawberries," she remarked. Ruby took a bite out of one the red berries and sighed.

"Yeah, but this time I mean it," she replied. Yang huffed and averted her eyes back to her magazine.

"You say that every time too," she said, bumping her elbow into Blake, who just shrugged without tearing her eyes away from her book. Ruby grabbed a handful of strawberries and downed them all in a matter of seconds. Weiss, walking right next to the strawberry terror, glared at her and crossed her arms.

"Do you have to eat those with such reckless abandon? You're gonna get that stuff all over my dress," she pouted. Ruby stopped mid-chew and stared at Weiss, then held out the box to her. Weiss watched her skeptically, arcing a brow. Ruby's eyes bounced from the box then back to Weiss. She nudged the box towards the girl in white, practically shoving it into her arms. Weiss narrowed her eyes then took the box into her hands.

"You're lucky I like strawberries too," she muttered. Before she could grab one, Ruby snatched another strawberry with a snicker. Weiss reached in to take one of the strawberries, but not before slapping Ruby's hand after she tried to covertly snatch another one. The team walked around a corner only to be stopped by Ruby suddenly holding out her arms. Yang, too absorbed into her magazine, bumped right into her sister's arm.

"Uh, why are we…" Yang slowly lowered her magazine and looked on in alarm at the dust store down the street. Shards of glass littered the sidewalk and the door was ripped off its hinges. The owner, a short, burly man was tied up across the street to a light pole, struggling to get free.

Ruby reached behind her cloak, her fingers grazing the familiar metal of Crescent Rose. But before she could whip out her trusted weapon, Weiss reached out and snatched her hand.

"Ruby, no. Let the police handle this. We don't need to get involved in every crime that happens in town," she said firmly. Blake looked up from her book with disinterest until she spotted a pair of robbers with shockingly familiar insignias on the back of their coats. Eyes widening, breath hitching, Blake lowered her book.

"It's the White Fang," she uttered. Weiss narrowed her eyes; a low hum was her only response. The two robbers, both handling black bags and wearing masks, tossed them into the back of an armored van and ran back into the store. Blake took a step closer, pushing Ruby's arm aside, "What are they doing? That's…that's not…"

"It's pretty obvious. They're stealing something that doesn't belong to them," Weiss said. Blake glared at her, but said nothing. Weiss' own hard stare turned soft and she turned to Ruby in hope of dissuading her from any attempt of saving the day only to see her dashing down the street, Crescent Rose already unfolding in her hands. At the same time, Yang's gauntlets came out as she ran to catch up with her sister. Weiss stomped her foot on the ground the moment Blake left her too, "You three are impossible."

Ruby caught up to the robbers by the time they exited the store with more bags in hand. The business end of her scythe swung backwards and fired a round harmlessly into a brick wall, catapulting her towards them.

The first robber fell flat on his back with a swift kick to the face. The other lifted a pistol only for Yang to cold-clock him into the open van. Three more White Fang members jumped out of the store carrying bats. One of the robbers reared his bat back and swung towards Yang, who made no effort to dodge it. The bat came to a sudden halt just inches away from her. The robber looked back and noticed the sharpened edge of a cleaver embedded in the wood. Blake yanked back on Gambol Shroud and ripped the bat from his clutches as Yang delivered a powerful uppercut, knocking him into the air. She grabbed him by the coat and threw him into the ground with tremendous force.

Ruby swept her scythe under a White Fang's feet and smacked him in the head with the handle. The last robber charged at Blake, screaming at the top of his lungs. Then his body came to a stop, glyphs surrounding his arms and legs. Weiss still stood at the street corner with Myrtenaster glowing in her hand. Yang casually strolled toward him, arms behind her back. She flashed him a cheeky grin then punched him in the face, knocking him out.

"Huh, that was easy," she said. Blake sheathed her weapon, her eyes jumping from one downed White Fang member to another until she found one that was semi-conscious. She flipped him on his back and got down on one knee, grabbing him by the collar.

"Why? Why do all this? This isn't going to bring equality any sooner. You're just terrorizing people. It's insane!" she growled at him. The robber blinked at her, his head bobbing left and right. Blake felt a hand on her shoulder and gently pulled her back. She looked over her shoulder to see Weiss pulling her up to her feet.

"It's fine, Blake. Let it go-"

Everything went black. Ruby could only feel the cold, hard ground and a wave of heat wash over her. Every muscle in her body screamed in agony. A rush of smoke filled her lungs, throwing her into a coughing fit. A deafening ringing assaulted her ears. The only sound she could pick up was a car door opening and slamming shut.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, we're on a schedule, you know? We mustn't tarry," a voice said. Ruby cracked her eyes open. A man in a red velvet suit walked around the van in exuberance, running a hand over his white hair and rabbit ears. His expression soured as he poked an unconscious body with his umbrella, "Let me rephrase that, YOU mustn't tarry. When I tell you to do your jobs, I expect it done. Otherwise, I'm not going to be happy."

The man sat down in the back of the open van, swinging his legs. His yellow eyes fell on Ruby and a wide grin bursted on his face, "Oh wonderful, a spectator of my humble spectacle. I do believe I've outdone myself with this, don't you?"

Ruby pushed herself up to her feet. Her mouth dropped in horror when she witnessed the dust shop engulfed in flames. The man in the suit laughed heartily, slapping his knee with jovial glee, "There's nothing quite like seeing a man's work go up in flames. Bring's a tear to my eye every time."

Yang was the next to come to, a ferocious scowl growing as her gauntlets unfolded. When the Faunus noticed her, he snickered. He jumped off the van, twirling his umbrella in one hand, "Oh come now, perhaps you want an encore?"

The Faunus reached into his suit and pulled out three grenades by their pins. He ripped the pins off and tossed them at the sisters in rapid succession. Already worn and beaten from the explosion, Ruby tried use the last ounce of energy she had to avoid the lethal explosion. Yang, on the other hand, dove straight for her sister and they both rolled back into the middle of the street a safe distance away.

Yang aimed her gauntlet at the Faunus, firing off a storm of projectiles. Each round hit air as the Faunus side stepped and jumped over every one. Yang launched herself at her opponent, throwing punches and kicks to keep him off-guard. Each attempt to lay a hand on him ended with him either backing off or hopping around her, taunting each attempt with a cheeky grin. Yang took a step back, taking a deep breath before launching herself back into the fray. She moved her fist upwards, pretending to throw an uppercut. When the Faunus began to move back, she kept her fist flying up and brought it back down into the ground, forcing a shockwave through the ground and knocking the Faunus back.

The Faunus rolled along the ground, his umbrella scattering across the street. Yang didn't waste a second to let him recover and rushed in, pelting the Faunus with as many punches as she could; a final kick sent him into the back of the van, a cloud of dust puffing out with the impact. Yang cautiously approached the van with her fists raised.

A ball the size of her hand rolled towards her, beeping ominously. Her instincts kicked in and she kicked it into the back of the van only for a gunshot to ring out and the ball to shoot back at her. A thick sheet of ice covered the object and exploded, sending shards of ice in all directions. Yang found her legs refusing to move. Her feet and hands were encased in ice, keeping her still and jamming her gauntlets. Her breath came in short ragged gasps that came to a stop when she heard a chilling click. The Faunus stepped out of the van, pistol in one hand and another ball in the other. Yang found herself unable to move as the Faunus retrieved his umbrella and hooked it on his belt.

"My, my, such a heavy-handed approach don't you think? Well, as fun as a show like that was, I'm afraid it's going to have to end. Don't try to scream too much, my ears are terribly sensitive to that," the Faunus chuckled.

He aimed squarely at Yang's head, his other hand casually tossing the grenade into the air several times. A glyph enveloped his hand, and then two more appeared on his legs. The Faunus looked over his shoulder at Weiss, who had taken a defensive stance, and narrowed his eyes, "I see someone isn't willing to wait their turn."

His free hand dropped the ball and pulled his umbrella from his belt, aiming it at Weiss. With a click, a dart landed at her feet with a rapid beeping noise. Weiss jumped into the air, glyphs appearing underneath her heel just as the dart exploded. The Faunus yanked his limbs free from her bind and fired his umbrella as Weiss darted through the air. She effortlessly dodged each one and landed in front of him, taking a few stabs to carry her momentum. The Faunus side stepped and dodged each one, his fluid motions reminiscent of a dance.

Blake suddenly jumped in behind him, slashing at him with her blade only for him to dodge those as well. The Faunus spun on his heel as he dodged both Weiss' and Blake's attacks. He came to a stop and aimed his pistol at Weiss and his umbrella at Blake, firing both simultaneously.

A sharp pain erupted in Weiss' side and a dart embedded itself on Blake's coattails. Three cables wrapped themselves around her and dug into her skin. Weiss stared down her side, relieved to see no blood on her clothes.

"Whoops, wrong pistol," the Faunus remarked as he reached inside his coat. Blake cut through the cables with her katana and took her window of opportunity, slashing at him and landing a gash across his arm. The Faunus growled and fired his darts at her in retaliation. Blake deflected his shots, shooting back with her own gun. Her target's umbrella swiftly opened, bouncing her bullets off the top.

Both girls heard a low click followed by a spray of darts ejecting from the umbrella's end. The darts, connected together by a thin wire, hit the ground in front of them followed by a loud ringing. All of them sprayed a cloud of dust into the air and ignited, creating a wall of fire between them and the Faunus. Through the inferno, they could see him putting his umbrella under his arm, smirking.

"I'm sorry girls, but my story isn't over quite yet. I'm afraid that there is still work that needs to be done."

The Faunus reached into his coat again but stopped after hearing the pained cries of one of his men behind him. He pulled his hand out again and stared down at his wounded soldier, tilting his head to the side.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked softly. The Faunus merely groaned in response. The rabbit grinned and jumped on his beaten body, stomping his feet onto his ribcage, "You're not anymore, are ya?! I'm not paying you to lie around and feel sorry for yourself!"

"You're not even paying me, sir!" the Faunus groaned underneath him. The rabbit frowned and jumped on his body over and over again, forcing a guttural cry from the man beneath him each time.

"Well that would explain the terrible work ethic you so clearly have. I have to say, for all the spirit you boys have, you always break so easily. Frankly, it's embarrassing," the rabbit said, jumping on the Faunus one last time before stepping off him. He poked the Faunus in the head with his umbrella and jumped back into the van, holding a hand out to a hurt Ruby, "Now my dear, I do believe it's time for my departure. But don't worry, maybe on a setting sun or a cloudless night we'll see each other again."

The truck roared to life, turning its wheels and setting off out of sight with the Faunus waving goodbye. Yang's anger suddenly dropped and her hurt clearly shone through. Ruby slowly came to her side, her own expression holding subtle contempt.

"Who was that guy?" she muttered. Yang shrugged and placed her hands on her sister's shoulders, squeezing them gently.

"You okay, sis?" Yang swallowed the lump in her throat. Ruby's hands pulled hers away and nodded. Weiss stomped her foot into the ground and crossed her arms.

"To think he could just steal all that dust…It's unacceptable! Where are the police?!" she growled.

"That guy was like the one we met back at the docks, remember Blake?" Ruby said. Blake narrowed her eyes at the thought and nodded. Wrapping her arms around herself, she stared down at the ground.

"I knew that the White Fang had gone to extreme lengths to get what they want, but after seeing all this tonight, I'm starting to wonder if the White Fang was ever a good idea," she said to herself more than anyone. All four girls perked up at the sound of sirens echoing through the deserted streets. Two patrol cars screeched around the corner, coming to a stop in front of them. Ruby sighed. Thoroughly exhausted, her team walked towards the cars as the police got out to secure the area.

Numerous questions ran through Ruby's head. That Faunus had been stealing dust just like Roman had. Add in the fact that Roman had been previously working with the White Fang, and it seemed possible that whoever they were fighting was working with him.

Of course, she couldn't prove anything. But tonight's events were enough to convince her that something was going on. She had half a mind to investigate it herself were it not for the fact that she was exhausted. If the Faunus showed himself again, she'd be ready. She wasn't going to let his crimes go unanswered. But for now, all she could do now was rest and recuperate.

She didn't even get to finish her strawberries.

…

"Five truckloads in one night and not a drop wasted. So unexpected. Such work!" The rabbit-eared man exclaimed to the woman next to him. She didn't bother to reply; instead she brushed a strand of blonde hair out of her face and continued staring at the scroll in her hands. His self-praise usually went on and on and he killed the last person who tried to interrupt it. She knew that this time was no different. Instead she straightened her dark blue vest and placed the scroll in the pocket of her black slacks, letting the tired groaning of the elevator fill in the bouts of silence, "To think me, Lepus Wolken the most feared Faunus this side of Vytal, stole that dust from right under their noses…I can hardly contain myself, Lorra."

The woman next to him shrugged and continued staring straight ahead, her coyote ears twitching. Lepus then frowned and absently twirled his umbrella, failing at getting her attention. His demonstration came to a sudden stop, the umbrella's tip pointing at Lorra's throat. She stared at it, then at him, then back at elevator door. In the blink of an eye, the tip pierced the wall next to her and Lepus closed the distance between them, their faces inches apart, "Now will you please tell me why in the hell we didn't TAKE MORE?!"

Lorra's deep blue eyes finally lifted to meet his with a disinterested gaze. She knew exactly what he wanted to hear, "Employee incompetence, sir. I'll be sure to get more capable ones."

Lepus grinned and retreated his umbrella, tapping it against the metal floor, "Oh wonderful, Lorra. Be sure to give them an updated orientation. From now on, anybody with even the slightest doubt in their little heads should have it cut off."

"I'll be sure to pass it along, sir," came the bored answer. Lepus smiled, placing his umbrella under his arm and checking the pocket watch he kept with him.

"Excellent. Very good. I'm expecting a lot of movement in the next quarter," he said. A soft chime echoed in the room and the door slid open, revealing a small dank room lit by several flickering lamps. Three White Fang thugs surrounded the lone figure struggling in a wheelchair. Lepus hopped inside, whistling to himself as he faced the man sitting captive. Lorra took up her usual position in the corner, crossing her arms and putting her weight on one leg. Lepus leaned over to face their captive, running a finger over the man's red tie.

"So…Mr. Henchmen. I've come back from my little escapade. And I have to say…" Lepus retrieved his prized umbrella, giving it a squeeze before thrusting the tip painfully into the man's throat, "I'M NOT HAPPY!"

The man grunted, his body refusing to move an inch. His eyes went wide like a deer in headlights, "Gah…whe…tah."

"I know! I'm just as speechless. Really it saddens me; I was quite fond of our gossiping. I had my heart set on giving you a happy ending, but no, no, no," Lepus tapped his umbrella against the man's cheek. The man sputtered out his words, staring in terror at the umbrella.

"N-no. I told you the truth. I swear it. Torchwick had that place under watch. There weren't supposed to be no guys there," he stammered. Lepus set a foot in the space between the man's legs.

"Well it turns out your info was full of holes. Just like you'll be in a second if you don't giving me something juicy!" Lepus brandished a pistol from his suit and jammed it into the man's face.

"I'm telling you, Roman put the de-"

"Roman this, Roman that. Let's talk about you and how you're going to pay me back in either tangible results or morbid amusement. Really, I'm happy with either one," Lepus said. He snapped his fingers and one of his men walked into the darkness. A metal hatch creaked and bright sunlight spilled into the room followed by a rush of air. Another snap of his fingers and two men untied him and forced him towards the door, restraining his arms. An endless ocean passed by in a blur beneath them. Lepus snickered and planted his foot on the small of the henchman's back, threatening to kick him over.

Torchwick's henchmen panicked and hollered, thrashing about and only succeeding in edging him closer to death. The curved handle of Lepus' umbrella suddenly reached out and hooked around his neck, sparing him from the fall by mere inches, "You said there wasn't going to be any resistance, yet the first thing I see when things start rolling is Little Red Hood and her merry band of heartbreakers."

"No, no, please. I…wait, wh-what? Little girl? Red hood? She have a scythe too?" the man asked. Lepus reeled him in closer and the man could feel a cold barrel rest against the back of his head.

"I'm guessing you two are well acquainted?" Lepus said in a tone that didn't promise any saving grace. But the words left the man's mouth before he could fully consider his options.

"I don't know her personally, but Torchwick talked about her after one of his dust heists went bad too. A huntress saved her when they met," the man babbled. Lepus let the man go, turning his back to him.

"Lorra, do we happen to have security footage on this little encounter?" he asked. The woman in question tapped idly at her scroll and flipped it around, displaying camera footage from atop a roof.

"City police filed it not too long ago. Girl was identified as Ruby Rose. The huntress this man speaks of is Glynda Goodwitch, staff member of Beacon Academy," she droned.

"Yeah, yeah, that's her. She has nothing to do with us, alright? She might be a, uh…vigilante or something," the man said, turning his back on the high fall. Lepus stared at the footage on Lorra's scroll, a grin growing wider as he watched the two women fight Torchwick and his mysterious companion.

"Oh now…this changes everything," Lepus muttered, taking the scroll away from her. He turned back to the man behind him. After giving his captive a ceremonious bow, he kicked the man square in the gut, watching the show of fear play across his face before he vanished into clouds. His chilling screams echoed in the expansive space before ending with a dull splash.

"Now then, onto greener pastures. Lorra, prep the truck and gather the boys. We're going on a field trip," he exclaimed. Lorra sighed. She motioned with two fingers for the thugs to follow her. After pressing the call button, she crossed her arms and turned to her boss.

"What is on the agenda now, sir?" she asked him. Lepus leaned against the wall, staring thoughtfully at the footage of Ruby playing over and over again. He looked up and smiled.

"Before I put Torchwick in the ground and get back to business, I have a score to settle with Ms. Rose. We're going to Beacon, Lorra. And when we get there, we'll make sure this young woman never lifts a finger against us ever again," he said. Lorra shrugged and rolled her eyes before joining the others in the elevator, leaving Lepus staring at the scroll.

"Ms. Rose, you and I are in for a very interesting endeavour."


	2. Chapter 2

**Just wanted to take a quick second to thank all you guys for reading. It's been a while for me, so feel free to give me some input. Tell me what's bad, what's good, what's meh. Any feedback is appreciated. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 2: Knock, Knock, the Bad Man's Here

Scores of papers were scattered across Victor's desk. Tiny scribbles written in red ink were written on the margins and on notes stuck on the corners. As one of the few in charge of registering news students into Beacon, there wasn't a moment in the day where he wasn't pouring over the latest report about a new arrival. The Faunus across from him eagerly bounced in her seat, her red eyes jumping from one paper to the next. She was like a little kid in a candy store, a look that Victor was all too familiar with.

"Your grades are admirable and the teachers at Signal seemed very adamant that you be accepted into Beacon. You have a very impressive record. I think you'll fit in here just fine,"

"That's wonderful to hear. I tried very hard to get a chance to study here," the girl across from him said, her wolf ears twitching with excitement. Her and reached up to her dark blue hair, twirling it absentmindedly between two fingers.

"It certainly shows. You were at the top of every class. With a transcript like this, admittance into Beacon is pretty much assured," Victor praised. He gathered together the girl's papers setting the neat pile aside and tapping in a few keys on his computer, "Now, most of this is purely formality. I just need some records. Medical, attendance, things like that. Gotta keep up with the books."

"A question, if I may sir?" the girls asked politely, her eyes practically beaming. When Victor nodded she continued, "About my records, my legal guardian gets really protective about that stuff, y'know? Where exactly does that stuff go? Just to put his mind at ease a little."

"Well, I just upload it from here. Beyond that, I'm afraid I can't really divulge any information. You understand?" Victor replied. A red velvet sleeve wrapped around the girl's shoulders.

"Oh I completely understand, sir. After all, you can't have the wrong people getting into it," Lepus smirked, giving the girl a gentle squeeze.

"Exactly. Beacon prides itself on security. We make every effort to keep the students safe. Don't worry, sir. She'll be safe here," Victor said. Lepus leaned back into his chair, twiddling his thumbs.

"Very relieving to hear. However, I do have one other question…" Lepus stood up from his chair. His knuckles cracked against his open palm, a devilish grin growing on his face. Every fiber of his being warned Victor that something was wrong. He turned to the girl only to find her chair empty. Lepus slammed his hands on the desk. Sheets of paper tore and crumpled as his hands curled into fists. Victor reached under his desk for the emergency switch then came a dead stop along with the rest of his body. His muscles seized up, freezing him like a statue. His back felt like it was on fire. The concentrated vibrations forced every thought to vaporize along with his will to stay up. His body collapsed against his desk, papers being thrown to the ground. Half-lidded eyes stared up at Lepus. His maniacal yellow eyes were fixed on him, "Are you going to be a good boy and spill now or is our exemplary student going to have to have to get a little blood on her?"

Lepus bent down and put a hand over his mouth as if to keep anyone from listening. In a low whisper he uttered, "Word of advice, take the first option. The second one gets old after a while."

Victor struggled to pick himself back up. His arms trembled under his weight. Just when he could sit back up, his efforts were dashed when Lepus rammed his fist into Victor's face. The blow left him in a daze, leaving him unable to do little more than just gasp for breath. Lepus' grin disappeared, replaced by an icy frown. Reaching into his suit, he pulled out a tiny brown bag and plopped it in front of Victor. A gold cloud of shining dust wafted from the open sack. A bizarre smell assaulted Victor's nostrils. His head felt like it was made of lead. He could vaguely feel something wrapping around his wrists before he was lost in a sea of black.

Lepus stood back up. Locking the door to the room, he circled the unconscious man as the girl secured his wrists and legs to his chair, "If you insist on trying to act like a big boy and toughing it out then I guess I'm going to have to take you down several notches."

Lepus stared out the window behind the desk. The bright blue sky vanished as Lepus shut the blinds. He snapped his fingers and the girl standing next to him narrowed her eyes, "Robin, be a dear and wake him up. Do whatever you want with him until I get back. But most importantly, have fun."

"Consider it done," the girl replied.

…

"I hope you all realize what kind of trouble you're in," Glynda marched back and forth in front of Team RWBY. The four girls had been escorted to their dorm after a number of news stations tried to interview them the second they left the crime scene at the dust store. No sooner had they been moved here that Glynda came into their room, a deathly stare focused on each of them. Ruby was all too familiar with it as she sat up straight on her bed, hands on her lap. The whole day had been a case of déjà vu for her. Glynda's imminent lecture was just icing on the cake.

Blake and Weiss were both standing between their bunk beds, looking equally chagrined. Next to them, Yang leaned back in a wooden chair, one arm tossed carelessly over the back. Her violet eyes lazily followed Glynda as she paced about the room. Ruby couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of her sister's ability to phase out and still look like she's paying full attention.

"Not only did you needlessly put you lives in danger, you have also invited an unwanted entourage of reporters onto Beacon's doorstep. Understand please, that our students here were promised an unfettered environment to hone their skills. These 'guests' have compromised that," Glynda went on. Her stark green eyes landed on Ruby and she crossed her arms. "I believe that I've already spoken with you about this once before, Ruby. I was willing to let it slide, but I'm afraid that I can't say the same now."

"Well I…" the tips of Ruby's index fingers pressed against each other. Three sharp knocks came from the door. Glynda strode over and whisked the door open, her brow drawing into an unamused glare once she laid eyes on their visitor.

"Blaine Orrin, investigative journalist! Are the-"

Glynda slammed the door in his face. Turning on her heels, Glynda wagged her finger at the four girls, "As you can see, your actions are making waves that Beacon has no desire to deal with. I'm afraid that I'm going to have to take disciplinary action."

Another three knocks came from the girls' door, "Ummm, I'd like to ask a few questions to the ones who stopped the dust raid. My sources tell me it was Lepus Wolken, would someone like to comment? I've been following his movements for a while and I'd like to get the girls' side of things, please? Anyone?"

"But there are some matters I need to attend to. If you'll excuse me," Glynda exited the room and slammed it shut behind her. Immediately after, a shrill scream came muffled from the door followed by rapid footsteps growing faint.

"We've really done it this time," Yang remarked as she jumped up from her chair. Ruby collapsed onto her bed, throwing her arms up in the air.

"What were we supposed to do? I couldn't just sit there and let them rob that guy," she said. Blake stared out their window, her hand slowly falling into her pocket.

"For what it's worth, Ruby. I agree with you." She said.

"I can't believe this. Why am I getting roped into this? I didn't even want to get involved," Weiss growled. She wrapped her arms around herself, shaking her head, "Ruby, would it kill you to just once listen to me?"

Ruby sat up straight, wrapping her arms around her knees. Her dark hair swayed from side to side, silver eyes growing large, "I did the right thing, Weiss…didn't I?"

Yang's glove rustled through Ruby's hair. Ruby's hand slapped it away only making the elder sister giggle, "I know ya did, sis. Weiss is just getting uptight as usual."

At this, Weiss puffed her cheeks. Her hands curled into fists as they cut through the air, "Excuse me? I'm the only one who had any common sense! All I've been doing is cleaning up after your messes."

"Do you think he made this himself?" Blake asked from behind the heiress. Weiss's pale hand shot up into Blake's face, her tirade going on without any notion of stopping. Blake brushed aside Weiss' hand and held out her own in front of the group. Yang narrowed her eyes at the disturbingly familiar object in Blake's possession. The ball glittered in the midday sun, reflecting everything in the room in one tiny sphere.

Yang stared at herself in the grenade, gears working in her head. Without objection from Blake, she casually snatched it up and tossed the grenade from one hand to the other. Its small size betrayed its true weight. Not even her gloves could protect her palms from shivering from the cold it emitted as she held the grenade a few inches from her face.

"And just where did you get that?" Weiss asked. Blake regarded her for a second before joining Yang in studying it.

"He dropped it after you caught his arm and legs in your glyphs. I thought it'd be a good idea to hold onto it and see what we're dealing with," Blake answered her. Weiss arced a brow. Ruby shared her expression, albeit with more childlike-wonder than the other girl was showing.

"Why would you want to see what…" Weiss' blue eyes widened before they retreated to their natural glare, "Oh no. No, you are not thinking about-"

"There's always a possibility we'll run into him again, isn't there? Better to know him now than to assume he'll just be a memory from now on," Blake interjected. Tacking back possession of the grenade, Blake held it up by her thumb and index finger. Slices of mist curled around her fingers. Blake felt like she was in the middle of a blizzard with the air suddenly turning cold.

"When the other grenade detonated, it covered itself in a sheet of ice before exploding. One could assume that there is a small supply of dust inside. A sort of elemental explosive. Of course, crystalized dust isn't powerful enough to cause an explosion that large," Blake deduced.

"So it'd have to be the powder form. It IS the most volatile form, after all," Weiss added. Blake tossed it the grenade at Ruby. The young girl gasped and fumbled with it, trying to catch it with both hands. The ball tumbled onto her bed and Ruby shielded herself, sweating bullets with a quiet whimper.

"It must have a thick shell in order to keep the dust from getting aggravated. He must have spent a lot of time trying to get it right. One wrong move and it would blow up in his face," Blake said. Retrieving the explosive from Ruby's bed, Blake turned it over to inspect every inch. She stared out into the window once more. Her fingers rapped against her thigh.

"Something up, Blake?" Yang said behind her. Blake peered over her shoulder. Her gaze dropped like a stone.

"It's nothing. I just-"

Two hard knocks drew the girls' attention to their door. Before any of them could answer it, the door opened on its own. On the other side was a stern-faced man in a suit. The sunglasses he wore made it difficult to tell where he was looking. He turned to Ruby's direction and pointed at her.

"Ruby Rose? Your presence is requested in the Beacon offices," he said. Ruby tilted her head.

"Wait, why?"

The man turned on his heels and left without a word, leaving Ruby's question hanging in the air. Yang crossed her arms, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. She peered out into the halls, finding it empty.

"Well he must have been in a hurry," she remarked. Ruby hopped off her bed, her hands holding tightly to each other as she walked out of their dorm.

"Guess I'll be on my way then," Ruby said. She shut the door behind her and hurried down the hall and into Beacon's man building. Rays of sunshine poured in through the roof's large skylights, decorating the floor with a shadowy patterns and intricate designs. It didn't take long for her to reach the Beacon offices. She pushed past two large ornate doors. The walls were covered in filing cabinets and bulletin boards. Between two large pillars was the front desk, papers stacked to a dangerous height. Another man in a suit sat waiting for her.

"Ruby Rose?" he asked in the same gruff manner the last man did. Ruby gave a wary nod. She'd never seen these type of people in Beacon before. The man returned the nod and pressed a button on the desk, "She's here. I'll send her in."

Retreating his hand, he pointed behind him, "Go through the second door to your left. It won't take much time."

Ruby felt slightly relieved to hear that. She wandered through the warmly lit room until she came to the door in question. She gave two gentle knocks. When no one answered, she tried again. Still no response. She warily opened the door and peeked inside. The blinds were closed, leaving the room in an oppressive dark. She took a few cautious steps inside, a chill running down her side. Before her were a messy desk and a chair with its back facing her.

"Do you know why I called you here?"

Ruby stared at the chair, wringing her hands nervously.

"Does it have something to do with the dust heist?"

A laugh echoed in the room, followed by the door shutting behind her. Ruby whipped around and felt her blood freeze when she caught sight of the white bunny ears and the red blazer. Next to him stood a girl wearing a white pea coat with red accents and an attached hood. Her face was obscured by a red visor that reflected Ruby's image.

"Oh I'm so glad you remember," the Faunus said. His light-hearted words were accompanied by a cold frown. Ruby reached for Crescent Rose, her body falling into a natural battle stance. With a smirk, The Faunus pulled out a small cylindrical object.

"Now, now my dear, I only came to talk, but wiping Beacon off the map isn't a bad idea either," The Faunus flipped open the top, exposing a large red button. Ruby's hands fell limp. Grinning from ear to ear, the Faunus sauntered past her and kicked a chair in her direction before sitting down in his own. He safely tucked away the detonator in his coat pocket. With a cool air, the Faunus leaned forward, propping his elbows up and tenting his fingers together.

"I'm afraid I was never able to properly introduce myself. My apologies, these things slip my mind when I'm in the middle of putting people in their place," he grinned. Ruby kept a blank face. She wasn't going to let this criminal get the best of her. It was best to just play it safe for the time being.

"Lepus Wolken at your service. It's truly a delight to make your acquaintance…Ms. Rose," he said with an exuberant nod. Ruby's hands gripped her upper arms. Her shoulders took a dramatic slump, a small gasp leaving her lips.

"How do you know my name?" she uttered. Lepus leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the desk.

"We're in the records room, kiddie. I'm sure you can put two and two together," Lepus grinned. Realization dawned on Ruby. She shot up from her chair. A low buzzing noise entered her ears and she turned around. Robin stood behind her, wielding a pair of tonfas with stun sticks on one end.

"Let's all calm down, yes? As I said, I only came to talk," Lepus said. Placing his hands behind his head, Lepus stared up at the ceiling, "You're a smart girl, Ms. Rose. I'm sure you realize the implications of all this."

An ominous smile grew on his face. He twirled a single finger in the air, "If it hasn't gotten through yet, I'll elaborate. A little bird gave me all sorts of information about you right here in this room. Really, all it took was plucking a feather or two before he sang. But don't fret, my dear. My trade may be in the field of inflicting misery on others, but I am first and foremost a gentleman. I'll hold onto this little file that tells every speck your life story. All I ask in return is your unwavering and absolute compliance."

Ruby's hands curled into fists. Every inch of her translated her hostility, but she had to keep herself composed. She wouldn't gain anything by attacking, "No, I'm not going to do anything you tell me to."

Her firm statement only made Lepus cackle wickedly. He stood up from his own chair and held his hand out to the chair next to him, "Oh you won't have to. If anything, I'm asking you to do nothing at all. You see, I'm in the middle of doing some very important work. I can't have Beacon's second rate huntresses nipping at my heels. So here's the deal. You and the rest of your wannabe hero friends will stay out of my way from here on out. If you don't, I'm afraid I'm going to have to use every bit of your personal information to teach you a lesson. And I'm not above killing everyone close to you. In fact, I may even enjoy it."

Before Ruby could reply, Lepus gripped the leather cushion on the chair, "If I'm feeling especially nasty, you may even get a little first-hand experience with this."

He turned the chair around. A man was bound by his wrists and ankles. Physically, he appeared to be fine but once he caught sight of Ruby, he panicked, "NO! No, please! Get that thing away from me!"

"Hahahaha! Guess you have a face only a mother could love," Lepus said, "Oh don't take it personally. Who knows what it is he's seeing with those bloodshot eyes of his. And you want to know the best part?"

Lepus pinched a pencil off the desk, holding it above the man's head, "Come on down, Robin. I'm sure Ms. Rose would love a demonstration."

Robin glared at Ruby. She put away her tonfas and took up the pencil. With one hand on his shoulder, Robin gave herself a few practice swings before she tapped the man on the arm.

"AHH! Please stop! I did everything you asked! STOP!"

A few more taps led to a series of pained cries and guttural pleas of mercy. They grew louder with each successive pat of the pencil. Lepus hovered over the both of them pumping his arms in excitement.

"Once more on the chest! Now the hand! Head! Head, shoulders, knees and toes! Knees and toes!"

The man's outcries were reduced to a blithering mess. Robin stepped aside, throwing the pencil back on the desk. Lepus retrieved his umbrella from underneath the desk and cut off the man's binds in one stroke. The razor-sharp tip glided over Victor's throat. Yellow, demented eyes met silver with a glint of arrogant delight, "There's nothing quite as painful as the human mind. Sure I can break his arms and crack his skull, but to have him think of something far worse for himself, to use the infinite power of his own imagination against him…that is real magic."

Lepus pulled his umbrella away. The entire time, Ruby kept herself still. She refused to give even an inkling of a reaction. It was obvious he wanted her to feel scared. He craved being in power. Ruby wasn't about to give him that satisfaction.

"Now I trust my point came across. Feel free to ring me up if you need a refresher," Lepus' hand dove into his pocket, pulling out his gold watch, "If you'll excuse me, I'm late for a very important date."

In a flash, Lepus pulled out the detonator again and smashed the button. Ruby couldn't even register the thought to go for cover before the room's windows were blown out and a rope ladder fell from the sky. The rabbit-eared Faunus jumped out the window, wrapping and arm around the rope and saluting her, "One more thing. If you breathe a word about this to anyone at all, I'll make sure one of your sidekicks stops breathing permanently. Maybe the yellow one, I have a feeling her bullet is long overdue. Farewell, Ms. Rose! I think we learned very much about each other today. Very much indeed."

Lepus was out of sight by the time he finished his sentence. Ruby suddenly found herself alone in the room along with Lepus' captive, who was quietly whimpering on the ground. Even Robin had somehow escaped without a trace.

"Yeah right, like I'm gonna stay quiet about this," Ruby muttered to herself. Maybe it was the anger that had been slowly but steadily rising in her, or maybe it was the ever-present urge to do the right thing, but Ruby soon found herself standing at the window sill, scanning the area for any sign of Lepus. A trembling wave of emotion built up in every corner of her heart. This man, who so callously throws away lives and threatens the safety of everyone Ruby held dear, was about to just leave after inflicting terrible pain on an innocent person. Ruby didn't have the tiniest idea of how this man acquired his own following of White Fang thugs. Even they had morals and anyone who's been around Lepus for ten seconds could see how devoid of them he was.

Ruby released a heavy sigh. There was no sign of his escape. Looking up into the sky, Ruby hoped to find some kind of airship hovering overhead; if only to have a clue as to Lepus' whereabouts.

"Lepus, we shouldn't be wasting our time with this."

Ruby felt a sense of elation at the mention of his name. The voice seemed to be coming from above her, possibly on the building's roof.

"Nonsense! Gentlemen, if there's one thing I learned while working with the fine folks of the White Fang, it's that maintaining an image is always important."

Ruby clutched the window's sides, planting her feet firmly on the sill. One had reached back and grasped the handle of Crescent Rose. The rough winds pushed her back, as if the universe was begging her not to jump. Part of her told her that she was nuts for tempting fate like this, but that part was being overridden by an overwhelming sense of getting even.

Was it smart? Probably not, but Ruby never said she was.

She released her hold on the window and jumped off. Her cloak whipped wildly in the air as she plummeted towards the ground. Crescent Rose unfolded to its full size and aimed its muzzle towards the ground. One pull of the trigger was all it took for her to be launched back into the air.

On the roof, Lepus paced back and forth. His hands moved about adamantly as he went on and on in front of Velvet Scarlatina. The girl's instincts yelled at her to make a break for it at the smallest chance, but her legs refused to budge.

She mentally kicked herself for deciding to climb up to the roof. It had turned into a habit for her whenever she wanted some peace and quiet. Every day after classes, she'd come up here and just watch the people come and go. There were even a few times where she practiced by herself, trying out new techniques in the hopes of becoming a better mage for her team. She never expected people to find her up here, let alone a group of apparent White Fang members.

"My dear, why the sorry face?" Velvet snapped out of her reverie to find Lepus standing in front of her, hands in his pockets and a tender look in his eyes, "You look quite down. Some meathead human giving you trouble, perhaps? Well, don't you worry. All you have to do is whistle for me and I'll show up to THROTTLE whoever's giving you trouble."

Velvet took a step back. She knew enough about the White Fang to know they were trouble. Maybe they had some good intentions, but it was all buried underneath a slew of corruption and violence.

A warm hand fell on her shoulder. Velvet stared at Lepus' arm with disapproval. His other hand grabbed hers and held it out, palm up. A heavy weight fell into it and Velvet wrapped her fingers around the cold metal. A sudden pang of dismay ran through her when she recognized the familiar contours and texture.

"Until that time comes, have a gun! Use it in good health so you can ruin theirs!" Lepus smirked.

Velvet couldn't say anything. She wanted to just drop the pistol and make her escape. But a flash of red dashed up from behind Lepus. A loud bang echoed in the sky before the scarlet blur landed on one of the White Fang thugs, knocking him out.

Lepus turned away from Velvet, snatching the gun out of her hand. The kindhearted look in his eyes decayed into a dead glare, "Ms. Rose, I find your timing to be rather inconvenient."

There was no trace of his odd friendliness in his voice. Ruby dropped into an aggressive stance, her scythe poised to end his life at the drop of a pin. Lepus' men sprang into action, surrounding Ruby and guarding Lepus' sides. Behind him, Velvet took her chance and escaped through the roof access door.

"Now now, boys. Let's be civil, yes? I said that I didn't come here to fight after all," Lepus said. He pushed his men aside, dropping the gun and his umbrella on the floor. His men exchanged glances before receding.

"Ms. Rose, I realize that you might be a tad perturbed by recent events. Allow me to soothe your nerves," Lepus clasped his hands behind his back and gave her a polite bow. Gazing at her through his white bangs, he smiled, "Deep breath…"

A loud snap drew Ruby's attention. She turned around and barely had time to cover her mouth before a cloud of gold dust was thrown in her face. A swift kick to her stomach sent her to the ground. Ruby's combat instincts kicked in. The barrel of her gun aimed towards the source of the attack and fired wildly. She rolled up to her feet and blocked an incoming barrage of attacks from a pair of tonfas.

Robin's visor was awash with the blue glow of her stun sticks. Ruby fended her off with quick, short slashes. Each one connected with the equally fast jabs Robin used. A shower of sparks flew from the connecting attacks. Ruby's scythe dropped into a downward arc. Robin crossed her tonfas and blocked the attack, neither of them giving an inch.

Ruby sucked in a breath through her teeth and pushed harder to no avail. Robin seemed to thrive on close ranged combat and would stop at nothing to close the distance, preventing her from gaining any worthwhile momentum. Ruby had to get some kind of space between them to take advantage of her speed.

True to her speculation, Robin broke off from their stalemate and dashed forward for another round of blows. Ruby moved to the defensive, taking care to avoid the electrified ends of her tonfas. The curve of her scythe caught on the handle of Robin's tonfas and Ruby yanked back with a proud grin, robbing Robin of one of her weapons.

Robin retreated. Her hand grabbed a strikingly familiar device from her belt. Her thumb flicked over the switch and the same rapid beeping noise came from it. Ruby retreated and kept her scythe at the ready, her finger hovering over her scythe's trigger. Robin tossed the grenade towards Ruby. At the peak of the toss, Ruby launched herself sideways. She felt herself fall into old techniques. Her body seemed to move all on its own as she rolled through the air. Another shot from Ruby's scythe sent her barreling straight for Robin.

Her speed carried through as Ruby swiped at her with her scythe. Robin stumbled out of the way, sparing herself by mere inches. Ruby kept herself going and scored a hit on Robin's abdomen with the handle of Crescent Rose.

Robin fell to one knee, clutching her side. She jumped back to escape another slash. The end of Ruby's scythe embedded into the concrete roof. Robin reached onto her belt and threw another grenade. This time, the small explosive stuck onto Crescent Rose with a white glyph before Ruby felt a devastating jolt of electricity run from her scythe to her body.

Robin tackled her to the ground in an act of desperation. She spun her tonfa around and aimed at Ruby's head. The gunshot rang out and the bullet buried itself into the ground. Ruby could smell the burning trail of gun smoke.

Ruby's hand held a death grip over Robin's. When she tried to fire again, Ruby yanked the tonfa aside. The bullet nearly grazed Ruby's cheek.

"You little…Just DIE!" Robin shouted.

"Robin Amaryllis, restrain yourself," said an unfamiliar voice. Both Ruby and Robin looked up to see a woman in a blue vest, clutching a scroll to her chest. When Lepus laid eyes on her, he sighed.

"Lorra Sappir, I do believe that this is a matter you're not involved in," he said in a mocking tone. Lorra gave Lepus a chiding look before resting her gaze on Robin.

"It would be prudent to leave no casualties. Leaving even one Beacon student harmed would cause complications," she said in a cool tone. Her heels made a gentle clack against the concrete as she made her way to the two girls. Robin pulled herself away and sheathed her weapons. The barely constrained fury in her eyes did not go unnoticed but Lorra found herself apathetic about Robin's feelings. There were more important matters she had to deal with. Lorra regarded Ruby with a bored expression and turned back to Lepus.

"Sir, we've finished what we've set out to do. I suggest we leave with haste," she said. Her hand reached out to Ruby, who stared at it hesitantly. Instead, Lorra grabbed her hand and pulled her up to her feet. As she got up to her feet, she tried to release herself from Lorra's grip. Lorra, however, didn't let go of her, "As for you, young lady. Do not pursue us. Save your strength for another time. My…master… enjoys a drawn out game."

Lorra's expression curdled at her own words. But her neutral face reappeared at the blink of an eye. Ruby tugged at her hand again, wrenching it out of Lorra's grip. She wanted to argue her point, but the sharply dressed woman turned her back to her and strolled away.

"Yes, I suppose we've wasted enough time milling about. Very well Lorra, we'll do things your way. Let's go home boys," Lepus said. At his order, Lorra tapped a few keys on her scroll. A grating screech drew Ruby's attention upwards as a large vehicle broke through the clouds and parked onto the roof. Lepus and his crew wasted no time getting inside.

As the vehicle took off, Lepus turned to face Ruby and pressed two fingers against his temple, thumb sticking up in the air.

"Some friendly advice, Ms. Rose. Don't try to be a White Knight. It's more trouble than it's worth."

Lepus disappeared as he ascended to the clouds. Ruby found herself unable to move. The bitter part of her mind hoped they'd come back down, if only to allow her to release some pent up anger. Ruby swallowed the lump in her throat. The door that led downstairs suddenly flew open and the rest of her team came charging out, weapons raised.

"Where is he? He's not going to get away this time!" Yang said. Ruby stared down at the ground, a frown growing.

"He's gone."

Yang's bracers folded in on themselves as she relaxed. Disappointment flashed behind her violet eyes, "Oh."

"I can't believe the nerve of that creep!" Weiss griped. When her icy gaze turned on Ruby, she crossed her arms, "And you! What were you thinking fighting him alone?! You could have been killed!"

Ruby didn't bother trying to argue. Weiss' lectures were the least of her worries. When she realized her words weren't getting through to her, Weiss stomped up to her with her hands on her hips, "Well?! Aren't you going to say something?"

Ruby looked up at Weiss with genuine anxiety filling her eyes. Weiss' shoulders slumped. The angry fire in her voice dissipated. The more she stared at Ruby, the more her worry overrode her irritation. Weiss frowned and crossed her arms, "H-Hey, what's wrong?"

Blake and Yang came to Weiss' sides, both sharing the same look of concern. Ruby wringed her hands. Threat or not, her team had to know about the danger Lepus threatened to impose on them. She didn't care if he'd come through on his promise or not. Any fear she had was outweighed by the faith she had on her team.

With a strained voice, Ruby recounted everything that had happened up until then. She included Lepus luring her into the room alone, his barbaric torture of the Beacon Staff member, and the fight she had with the wolf-eared girl. As her story continued on, the faces of her team went from anger, to disbelief, to stone-hard determination. When her story came to an end, Yang cracked her knuckles. A fierce scowl was accompanied by Yang's eyes turning into a dangerous red, "If that lunatic thinks he's going to put a hand on you, he's got another thing coming."

"Agreed. He's proven he's dangerous, but we've dealt with worse," Blake added. Offering a supportive smile, she gave Ruby an affirmative nod, "No matter what he says, we'll have your back, Ruby. Just like we've always had."

Ruby rubbed her eyes with the cuff of her sleeves, "You guys…"

Yang wrapped her arms around her little sister, squeezing her tightly, "Aww Ruby. Trust me, I'm gonna do a whole lot worse than what he may have in mind. Just leave everything to your big sis."

"Although, we should tread lightly. If what he says is true, we should handle this carefully. The last thing we need is Ruby's life in danger, along with anyone else he decides to set his sights on," Blake said. After fighting her sister off, Ruby turned to Blake.

"Well Blake, you were in the White Fang. Haven't you heard of this guy before? Do you know anything about him that could help?" she asked. Blake rubbed her chin. Her eyes narrowed before she ruefully shook her head.

"I'm sorry, no. I've never heard of Lepus before now. I'd wager that he's a recent addition. It wouldn't surprise me, considering the White Fang's tendency to violence," she said.

"So we have to do a little digging then. And once we find him, we can take him out and make sure he doesn't try to pull this stuff again. So…any ideas?" Yang asked.

"Our best chance is to find someone who knows Lepus personally. Or at least keeps tabs on him. Otherwise, we'd be wandering in the dark," Blake deduced. Weiss, who had remained silent during their conversation suddenly brightened.

"Wait, what about that journalist guy? Didn't he say something about following that idiot?" she suggested. The team went silent. Each of them followed their own train of thought.

"It's the best shot we have. If he can tell us anything at all, we'd be closer to finding Lepus. Now we just have to find _him_," Blake said.

"We should probably split up then. If he's still hanging around the campus, it shouldn't be too hard," Weiss said. With a collective nod, the team left the roof. Ruby trailed on behind them, biting her lip. An arm wrapped around her shoulders and she could see the golden yellow locks out of the corner of her eye.

"Don't worry, sis. Everything's gonna work out. No matter what, we're going to catch him," Yang said with overflowing warmth. Ruby forced a small smile and returned the gesture, wrapping her arm around Yang's waist. They could pull this off. As long as she had her team with her, she'd be okay.

No matter what, they would stick together. They'd beat Lepus with no problem. She was sure of it.

…

Lepus pulled up a chair in front of a large screen. Next to him, Lorra tapped a few keys on her scroll, her brow slightly raised.

"The request was sent, sir. Would you like some privacy?" she asked. Lepus leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"That would be lovely, Lorra. This is something between only me and him," he said with a confident air. Lorra gave him a respectful bow before leaving. Once he heard the door close, Lepus switched on the monitor. The image on the screen came through with a blur. The person on the other end began to take form until the recognizable white coat and derby hat came through as sharp as a knife.

"Roman Torchwick. I'm very pleased that you accepted my call," Lepus began. Roman narrowed his eyes, taking a puff of his cigar before replying.

"What's this about, Wolken? I thought it was made perfectly clear that you and I are not friends."

"Oh I think it's time we both moved on. Water under the bridge, bygones are bygones, and all that. You see, I've found myself in quite a spot. I've recently come across a rather large stockpile of high-grade dust. Now, you and I may not be on the best of terms, but ultimately you and the White Fang still very much work together. I have no need of the dust, but I'm certain you do," Lepus stood up from his chair, twirling his umbrella by the curved handle.

"I'm no fool, Lepus. I'm certain that this isn't something you'd do out of the kindness of your heart," Torchwick replied with the same cold glare.

"You'd be correct, then. You of all people know that I'm no bleeding heart philanthropist. Nothing in the world is free, Torchie. Luckily for you, I already have something in mind," Lepus pulled a small dust bottle from his suit pocket, shaking the contents inside.

"I want the usual amount of lien for this. Also, any men you may have borrowed from the White Fang to conduct your raids…I want them back. Really, with the amount of dust I have, it's a steal," Lepus said. Roman took another puff of his cigar. Dealing with Lepus was never this cut and dry. He could practically sense Lepus' ulterior motives through the screen. He had half a mind to refuse the offer, but thanks to a certain red hooded girl, he was in serious need of dust. Perhaps it was against his better judgment, but he found himself agreeing to the terms and told Lepus as much.

"Excellent. Wonderful. Shall we meet in the old spot? If it makes you feel any safer, you can bring your men and I'll go alone. I certainly wouldn't want to jeopardize our friendship after all," Lepus said.

"Very well. Meet me there tomorrow night. But if I sense even the slightest thing wrong, I'm calling the deal off," Torchwick said. The connection was suddenly cut, leaving Lepus in the dark room. A low laugh left him as he tucked the bottle away.

"Oh my dear Torchwick. You'll never get the chance."


End file.
